Jersey Heritage is appealing for family members of heroes from the Occupation years to come forward ahead of the roll-out of Stolperstein memorial stones across the Island. The charity has tracked down relatives for half of the 20 people who will be honoured by the stones but is struggling to find family for the remaining ten.

Stolpersteine, which translates as ‘stumble stones’, are cobble stones with an engraved brass cap that are inserted into public pavements and roadways in memory of victims and survivors of Nazism. A Channel Islands project to install 20 stones in Jersey and a further 15 stones in Guernsey is due to begin over the next few months and is being led by Jersey Heritage’s Sites Curator Chris Addy and Occupation historian Dr Gilly Carr, of the University of Cambridge, on behalf of Guernsey Museums.

The Jersey stones will remember, in all but two instances, survivors, to ensure there is no crossover with the purpose of the Lighthouse Memorial on the New North Quay, which commemorates the 21 Jersey women and men who perished in Nazi prisons and camps.

Chris explained that ideally, they would have spoken to relatives of each person being remembered before the stones are laid. He said: “The Jersey stones will raise awareness of Islanders who were persecuted for their Jewish origins or went into hiding for that reason; those convicted of acts of resistance, defiance or attempted escape; individuals sent to Alderney as conscripted labourers; or interned in Germany for being British born. As the Jersey 21 were formally remembered at the Lighthouse Memorial, it was felt that the time was right to honour a wider group of Jersey’s Occupation heroes. We have made every effort to contact the families of those due to be honoured but would love to hear from any relatives we have not yet been able to identify.”

One relative already involved in the project is Iris Prigent, whose late husband, Gordon, was a conscripted worker sent to Alderney. The Stolperstein in his honour will be in Hope Street, St Helier – his address at the time. Iris said: “My husband Gordon suffered greatly as a result of being sent to Alderney for refusing to work for the Occupiers. This experience affected him for the rest of his life. Gordon would have been happy to think that he and many others who suffered during the German Occupation are being remembered.”

A Stolperstein measures 10cm2. Each one is handmade by German artist Gunter Demnig, who initiated the project in 1992. There are now more than 100,000 Stolpersteine laid across mainland Europe. The UK received its first Stolperstein two years ago in memory of a Dutch woman of Jewish heritage, Ada van Dantzig, who was murdered in Auschwitz aged 25. It was laid in London at her place of work.

Gunter is due to visit the Channel Islands in July to install several stones in Jersey and Guernsey himself. It is also hoped that schools and community groups will be able to participate in the process.

Chris said: “The support we have received so far for the Stolpersteine project in Jersey has been wonderful and we’d like to thank St Helier, St Saviour, St Clement, Grouville and St Brelade, who have agreed to have stones within their parishes, as well as the Department of Infrastructure & Environment and V & V Stonemasons for generously agreeing to install the Stolpersteine and provide the necessary materials free of charge.

“The 20 Stolpersteine in Jersey will provide a moving commemoration for survivors of the Occupation, and we hope there might be an opportunity in the future to add further stones to remember people who lived through these difficult years.”

The full list of names and addresses of those to be honour with a Stolperstein is below. Family members of those in bold have not yet been identified:

  • John Max Finkelstein of Mon Desir, Bagot, Georgetown, St Saviour
  • Victor Emanuel of 13 Royal Crescent, Don Road, St Helier (plaque to be located on public pavement)
  • Nathan Davidson of 35, Stopford Road, St Helier
  • Hedwig Bercu of 28, New Street, St Helier
  • Ruby Still of Kenton, Victoria Road, St Clement
  • Esther Lloyd of Wye Dean, Georgetown Park Estate, St Saviour
  • Erica Oljenick of 8, Overseas, Dicq Road, St Saviour
  • Joe Mière of 25, Midvale Road, St Helier
  • Suzanne Malherbe and Lucy Schwob of The Anchorage (formerly La Rocquaise), St Brelade’s Bay
  • Harold Le Druillenec of Westdene, Langley Avenue, St Saviour
  • Emile Du Bois of 4, Samares Avenue, St Clement
  • Antony Faramus of Windsor House, Val Plaisant, St Helier
  • Peter Hassall of Northfields, Byron Lane, St Helier
  • Emma Marshall of Tiverton, 13, Chevalier Road, St Helier
  • Jean Marie Rossi of Ypriana, 3, Chestnut Avenue, Maufant, St Saviour
  • Gordon Prigent of 3, Hope Street, St Helier
  • Walter Gallichan of 17, Manor Park Estate, Almorah, St Helier
  • Michael Ginns of Les Mars, La Rue Maraval, Grouville (now part of the Beausite Hotel)
  • Hyam Goldman of La Petite Ruche D’Or, St Peter’s Valley, St Peter

 

If family members of any of the names in bold would like to be involved in the project, please can they contact Chris Addy on 633300 or email chris.addy@jerseyheritage.org.